Divorce in Wheat Ridge, Arvada, and Jefferson County is hard. But, sometimes people have circumstances that make these situations even more difficult. One of those situations involves mental illness. Mental illness can include: addictions (sex, gambling, alcohol, drugs, etc.), bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, schizophrenia, depression and narcissism – just to name a few. If your spouse suffers from one or more mental illnesses, it can cause challenges for you, your spouse, and all your loved ones – including your children. These mental illnesses can cause serious stresses on your marriage and it may get to a point where you can no longer function in the relationship. The stats support that divorce is more likely when one person in the relationship has a mental illness. If you preparing to divorce your mentally ill spouse, contact an experienced divorce attorney to help you through the process, especially because it can cause complications.
Does Mental Illness Have to Play a Role in My Colorado Divorce?
There is no definite answer on how mental illness can complicate divorce. It depends on the type of mental illness and the severity. It also depends on your spouse and how he or she will handle things. Luckily in these situations, divorce in Colorado is ‘no fault’ so you do not have to try and prove to a court that your spouse’s mental illness is the major cause of the broken marriage. You only have to explain that your relationship is ‘irretrievably broken.’
How Mental Illness Can Complicate Divorce in Wheat Ridge and Golden, Colorado
However, there may be times when mental illness does need to be addressed. If you worry for the safety of your children or yourself, then you may need to ask for temporary orders to prevent contact until everything has been worked through the court. You may need to provide documentation or proof that your spouse is a danger, which would bring in the mental health issues. These would also come into play when you and your spouse are determining child custody. Mental illness will not necessarily preclude a person from having visitation with their kids. It’s something that is determined on a case-by-case basis with regards to what is in the best interest of the children.
If you have are getting divorced and mental illness will likely be a part of that divorce, contact the best divorce attorneys from the Pearman Law Firm at 303-991-7600 for a initial phone consultation.
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